Dispensing cap having frangible positive sealing means



p 1954 A. J. PORTER ETAL DISPENSING CAP HAVING FRANGIBLE POSITIVE SEALING MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 30, 1965 INVENTORS A1. Vl/V J, PORTER ooA/A 1. 0 W MA Til/501V BY W A T TQRNEYS p 22, 1964 A. J. PORTER ETAL 3,149,755

DISPENSING CAP HAVING FRANGIBLE POSITIVE SEALING MEANS Filed Aug. 30, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ha. 6 F10. 7

I I llllll INVENTORS 14/. V//\/ d. PORTER 24 I 4 4 2 BY 4 f7MM/QO/Wi .A T TO/PNE YS 00A/ALO W. MA TH/Jo/V United States Patent 3,149,755 DEPENSING CAP HAVING FRANGHBLE P-GSITIVE SEALING MEANS Alvin .I. Porter, Exceisior, and Donald W. Mathison,

Minneapolis, Minn, assignors to Product Design and Engineering, Inc, Minneapolis, Minn.

Filed Aug. 30, 1963, Ser. No. 305,726 8 Elaims. (Cl. 22233) The invention relates to an improvement in a dispensing cap for a container.

It is an object of the invention to provide a dispensing cap which provides a seal for the container in a fixed condition until manipulated and used. It is a further object to provide a dispensing cap having a fixed frangible seal which is broken by manipulative rotation of the movable cap portion without the aid of any other elements, the cap then operable from an open to a closed position.

It is also an object to provide a cap which has .a positive open and a positive closed position.

It will not be here attempted to set forth and indicate all of the various objects and advantages incident to the invention, but other objects and advantages will be referred to in or else will become apparent from that which follows.

The invention will appear more clearly from the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, showing by way of example a preferred embodiment of the inventive idea wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.

In the drawings forming part of this application:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective View of the cap mounted on a container, a portion of the container being broken away.

FIGURE 2 is a vertical axial section on the line 22 FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the cap mounted on sealing member intact before severance.

FIGURE 3 is a section similar to FIGURE 2 with the cap in open position, the sealing member having been severed.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the top rotatable member of the cap in inverted position, a portion thereof being broken away.

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of the cap base portion with the top member removed.

FIGURE 6 is a bottom plan view of the cap base portion.

FIGURE 7 is an elevational view of the cap base portion.

FIGURE 8 is a section on the line 88 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 9 is a section on the line 9-9 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 10 is a perspective view of the cap with portions thereof broken away and showing in particular the beginning of the cutting of the frangible sealing member.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the cap A includes the one-piece base portion 12 having the cylindrical skirt portion 14 formed withthe internalthreads 16 for engagement with threads 18 of the neck 20 of the container B. The base portion 12 is preferably molded of a plastic material. Extending inwardly of the wall 14 is the narrow annular top portion 22 which terminates in the coaxial sleeve portion 24 depending therefrom which fits snugly into the neck 20 as the base 12 is screwed upon 3,149,755 Patented Sept. 22, 1964 the neck. The sleeve portion 24 is spaced from the wall 14 and terminates at its lower edge in the annular narrow bottom wall 26 which terminates in the coaxial spindle portion 28 thereby forming an annular channel 29 surrounding the spindle. The upper end of the spindle 28 is relieved by the angularly disposed V-cut formation 30, the top of the cut being started on the radii of the top end 32 of the spindle. The spindle 28 and the sleeve 24 are all part of the one-piece base 12.

Extending upwardly from the annular bottom 26 and between the spindle 28 and wall 24 are the pair of spaced stop lugs 34 and 36, the function of which will be set forth hereinafter. Further provided is the frangible sealing membrane member 33 which includes the thin top wall 40 extending from the sleeve 24 to the spindle 28 and spaced from the bottom 26. The top wall 40 is nor-' mal to the longitudinal axis of the spindle 28 and base 12 and terminates in the depending thin spaced side wall portions 42 and 44 which also extend between the wall 24 and spindle 28 and form part of the frangible sealing member 38. The walls of the sealing member are of a thinness allowing easy cutting by the cutter lug hereinafter described. The annular bottom wall 26 is void between the side wall portions 42 and 44 of the sealing member as at 46 to form a part of the passageway through which the material is expelled from the container.

It will be seen that with the sleeve portion 24 of the base portion 12 in position in the container neck 20 and the threads 18 of the neck in engagement with the threads 16 of the base, the neck is positively sealed oil".

The numeral 48 designates a one-piece rotatable cap member including the top portion 50 formed with the depending annular outer narrow skirt portion 52 which has formed on the inner surface thereof the annular bead formation 54. The bead 54 grippingly engages the annular bead 56 of the top portion 22 to thereby secure the cap 48 on the base 12 for rotative movement thereon as hereinafter explained. The top portion 59 of the cap member has formed on the underside thereof the depending coaxial collar 58 having the reduced end 60. Depending from the lower edge of the end portion 60 of the collar 58 is the arcuate cutter lug 62 formed with the vertical cutting edge 64. The outer radial dimension of the cutter lug 62 is slightly less than that of the channel 29 for the cutter lug 62 is formed on the reduced end .60 of collar 58. The vertical dimension of the cutter edge is slightly greater than the vertical dimension of the side wall portions 42 and 44 together with the top wall 40. The

entire cap member 48 is preferably molded in one piece of a plastic material.

Formed on the inner surface of the collar 58 is the verticallchannel 66 which extends substantially throughout the collar 58 and lug 62 terminating at the upper end in the angular formation 68 to facilitate flow of material out the cap A. The inner upper portion of the collar .58 where it joins with the top 50 of cap 48 terminates in the conoidal surface 70 which terminates in the outlet 'hole 72.

.The cap member 48 is mounted on' the base 12-for operational rotation thereon by inserting the collar'58 into the annular channel 29 between the sleeve portion 24 and the spindle 28 with the bead 54 engaging the bead 56 of the base 12. As the collar 58 of cap 48 is inserted, as above, the same is positioned so that the cutter lug 62 bypasses the sealing member 38. The cap member 48 is then rotated so that the cutter lug 62 is adjacent the sealing member 38 is illustrated particularly in FIGURE 10. In this position the cap 43 is forcefully rotated whereby the cutter edge 64 of lug e2 severs the connection of top wall 40 of sealing member 38 with spindle 23 while at the same time severing the connection of side wall 44 with spindle 28. As the cap member 43 is rotated sufficiently the cutter edge as of cutter lug 62 severs the connection of side wall 42 with spindle 28. As a result of the severing action above described, the side walls 44 and 42 are forced into the positions shown in FIGURE 9 against the inner surface of sleeve 24. The top wall as of sealing member 38 is severed from the spindle 28 and is forced out of the line of flow of material by lug 62 when the lug is rotated into open position. It will be seen that when the sealing member 38 is intact, the base portion positively seals oif the neck 20 of the container.

With the frangible sealing member 33 virtually removed, the void or opening 46 is cleared for communication of the interior of the neck 20 with channel 66 of lug 62 and collar 58 when the cap i3 is in the position shown in FIGURES 3 and 9. The caps is then in an open position and flow of material from the container B is out through the opening 46, through the channel 66, the V-cut 3d of the spindle 28, the conoidal surface 70 and out the outlet hole 72.

To effectively produce a cutting of the sealing member 38 by the cutter lug 62, the cap member 48, which includes the cutter 62, is preferably formed of a plastic or another material which is harder than that usedin the base 12 which includes the sealing member 38.

To place the cap in the closed position the cap portion 48 is rotated sufilciently whereby the channel 66 is placed out of register with the opening 45 and V- cut 3t? of spindle 28. In this position the collar 58 is in full contact with the side of spindle 28 at X as particularly illustrated in FIGURE 2.

The cap A when fully open is in a positive open" position, for when the channel 66 is in register with opening 46 and V-cut 30 the cutting edge 54 of cutter lug 62 abuts the stop lug 34. The cap A may be placed in a positive closed position by rotating the cap portion 48 whereby the cutter lug 62 is caused to abut the stop lug 36, the channel 66 being out of register with V-cut 3t) and opening 46.

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details set forth since these may be modified within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a cap for dispensing material from a container, a base portion, said base portion having an outer cylindrical skirt, said skirt having threads formed internally thereof for engagement with the threaded neck of a container, a sleeve connected to said skirt internally and coaXially thereof, said skirt being spaced from said sleeve, an annular bottom wall extending inwardly of said sleeve and terminating in a spindle, said spindle being coaxial with and spaced from said sleeve to form an annular channel surrounding the spindle, said annular bottom Wall having an opening formed therein, frangible means surrounding said opening and sealing oil? the same, a cap member rotatably mounted on said base portion, said cap member having a top portion formed with anoutlet hole, a collar depending from said top portion and extending into said annular channel, said collar having a cutter lug extending therefrom and into said channel, said frangible sealing means being severed by said cutter lug upon the initial rotation of said cap member, said collar and cutter lug having achannel formed therein leading to said outlet hole, said spindle having a recess on the outer surface thereof in axial alignment with said opening, said channel formation brought into register with said recess and said opening upon the rotation of said cap member to allow a flow of material through the cap and out said outlet hole, flow through the cap being prevented when said channel and recess are out of register by means of the rotation of said cap member.

2. The device of claim 1 including stop means for limiting the rotative movement of said cap upon said base portion from a position with said channel in register with said recess to a position Where said channel and recess are out of register.

3. in a cap for dispensing material from the neck of a container, a cylindrical base portion adapted to be inserted into the neck of the container to seal ofii the same, a cap member having an outlet passageway and rotatively mounted on said base portion, said base portion having an opening therein, a frangible covering formed over said opening, said cap member having means for severing said frangible covering to clear said opening when said cap member is initially rotated upon said base portion, said cap member having channel means for registration with said opening of said base portion and said outlet passageway of said cap member to allow flow of material from the neck of the container through the cap, fiow through the cap eing prevented by rotation of the cap member to thereby place said channel means out registration with said opening of said base portion.

4. In a cap for dispensing material from the neck of a container, a cylindrical base portion adapted to be inserted into the neck of the container, a cap member having an outlet passageway and rotatively mounted on said base portion, said base portion having an opening, means sealing said opening, said cap member having means for removing said sealing means from said opening upon the initial rotation of said cap member upon said base portion, said cap member having channel means for registration with said opening of said base portion and communication with said outlet passageway of said cap member upon rotation of said cap member to thereby allow a flow of material through the cap, fiow through the cap being prevented by rotation of the cap member to thereby move said channel means out of registration with said opening of said base portion.

5. In a cap for dispensing material from the neck of a container, a base portion adapted to be inserted into the neck of the container to seal oif the same, a cap member rotatively mounted on said base portion and having an outlet hole, said base portion having a recess, said cap member having a channel for register with said recess of said base portion by means of the rotation of said cap, said' base portion having a frangible portion, said cap member having means for rupturing said frangible portion upon the initial rotation of said cap member to form an opening and allow flow through the cap and out said outlet hole when said recess, channel and opening are in register, flow through the cap being prevented by rotation of the cap member to thereby move said channel out of register with said recess and opening.

6. In a cap for dispensing material from the neck of a container, a base portion adapted to be inserted in the neck'of the container and seal off the same, a cap portion rotatably mounted on said base portion and having an outlet hole, said base portion having an opening formed therein, severable means covering said opening and sealing off the same, means carried by said cap portion for severing said severable means upon the initial rotation of said cap portion, recess means formed in said base portion, channel means formed in said cap portion, registrable with said recess means and opening of said base portion upon the rotation of said cap portion to allow a flow of material from the neck of the container through said opening and out the outlet hole of said cap portion, flow through the cap being prevented by rotation of the cap portion to thereby move said recess and channel means out of register.

7. The device of claim 6 including stop means for limiting the rotative movement of said cap portion upon said base portion from a position With said channel means in register with said recess means to a position where said channel means and recess means are out of register.

8. In a cap for dispensing material from the neck of a container, a base portion adapted to be inserted in the neck of the container and seal ofli the same, a cap member rotatably mounted on said base portion and having an outlet hole, said base portion having an opening formed therein, means sealing said opening, said cap member having means for removing said sealing means upon rotation of said cap member to clear said opening, channel means formed in said cap member adapted to register with said opening and said outlet hole by means of the rotation of said cap to allow flow through said cap, member, said channel means moved out of register upon the rotation of said cap to prevent flow through said cap.

References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS 453,492 Great Britain Sept. 11, 1936 

1. IN A CAP FOR DISPENSING MATERIAL FROM A CONTAINER, A BASE PORTION, SAID BASE PORTION HAVING AN OUTER CYLINDRICAL SKIRT, SAID SKIRT HAVING THREADS FORMED INTERNALLY THEREOF FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE THREADED NECK OF A CONTAINER, A SLEEVE CONNECTED TO SAID SKIRT INTERNALLY AND COAXIALLY THEREOF, SAID SKIRT BEING SPACED FROM SAID SLEEVE, AN ANNULAR BOTTOM WALL EXTENDING INWARDLY OF SAID SLEEVE AND TERMINATING IN A SPINDLE, SAID SPINDLE BEING COAXIAL WITH AND SPACED FROM SAID SLEEVE TO FORM AN ANNULAR CHANNEL SURROUNDING THE SPINDLE, SAID ANNULAR BOTTOM WALL HAVING AN OPENING FORMED THEREIN, FRANGIBLE MEANS SURROUNDING SAID OPENING AND SEALING OFF THE SAME, A CAP MEMBER ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID BASE PORTION, SAID CAP MEMBER HAVING A TOP PORTION FORMED WITH AN OUTLET HOLE, A COLLAR DEPENDING FROM SAID TOP PORTION AND EXTENDING INTO SAID ANNULAR CHANNEL, SAID COLLAR HAVING A CUTTER LUG EXTENDING THEREFROM AND INTO SAID CHANNEL, SAID FRANGIBLE SEALING MEANS BEING SEVERED BY SAID CUTTER LUG UPON THE INITIAL ROTATION OF SAID CAP MEMBER, SAID COLLAR AND CUTTER LUG HAVING A CHANNEL FORMED THEREIN LEADING TO SAID OUTLET HOLE, SAID SPINDLE HAVING A RECESS ON THE OUTER SURFACE THEREOF IN AXIAL ALIGNMENT WITH SAID OPENING, SAID CHANNEL FORMATION BROUGHT INTO REGISTER WITH SAID RECESS AND SAID OPENING UPON THE ROTATION OF SAID CAP MEMBER TO ALLOW A FLOW OF MATERIAL THROUGH THE CAP AND OUT SAID OUTLET HOLE, FLOW THROUGH THE CAP BEING PREVENTED WHEN SAID CHANNEL AND RECESS ARE OUT OF REGISTER BY MEANS OF THE ROTATION OF SAID CAP MEMBER. 